Friday, May 30, 2008

Grilled Salmon with Lemon Vinaigrette, Roasted Broccoli, Butternut Squash Puree & Jamon Serrano


This is a great healthy meal, that is pretty easy to prepare. The Salmon could be replaced with any fish that'll stand up to the grill. The Jamón really is a great addition to the squash, but if you can't find it, Prosciutto would work.

Serves 4:

4 6 oz. Salmon fillets

4 cups Broccoli flowerets

puree:

1 large Butternut Squash
1 head Roasted Garlic
1 Tbsp. Butter
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1 1/4 Lb. slice of Jamón Serrano (diced & crisped in hot pan)

Vinaigrette:

1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
Zest of one Lemon
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Tbsp. fresh herbs (Tarragon or Parsley would be great)
1 small Shallot (minced)
Kosher Salt, Fresh Ground Pepper & Olive Oil.

Preheat oven to 450°

To prepare the Butternut Squash Puree, cut the squash in half (long ways) & scrape out the seeds. Season both sides with Salt & Pepper & drizzle with olive oil, place cut side down on sheet pan & roast for 20-25 minutes (or until fork tender). Remove & let cool. Once cool enough to handle, scrape the pulp away from the skin. Add roasted garlic, butter and cream to the squash and puree until smooth. Season with salt & pepper & keep warm over double boiler.

To prepare Vinaigrette, place lemon juice, zest, olive oil, herbs & shallot in a blender & blend until smooth. Season with salt & pepper & set aside.


Season all sides of Salmon with salt & pepper, drizzle with olive oil & let sit out until at room temperature (approximately 20 minutes). Turn grill on high & allow to warm up (at least 10 minutes). Grill Fish until flaky. I like to cook the fish for about 3-4 minutes on each the flesh & skin sides & then 1 minute each on the sides if the salmon is cut thick, but the time will differ depending on your grill, the shape of you fillet & your preference of doneness.

To prepare the Broccoli, place the washed & trimmed flowerets on a baking sheet, season with salt & pepper, drizzle with olive oil & roast in the 450° oven for approximately 10 minutes.

To plate, spread out some of the squash on one side & the vinaigrette on the other. Place Salmon over vinaigrette, divide broccoli between plates, sprinkle Jamón over Squash Puree & garnish with fresh ground black pepper & a drizzle of your finest olive oil.


The Strong flavors in the Salmon & Jamón allow this dish to stand up to stronger beverages. I enjoyed a Lagunitas Maximus with this dinner, but an Imperial IPA might be too strong for many pallets. A standard issue IPA, like Bells Two Hearted or Alpha King should work for most. If you elect for a lighter flavored fish, then light Belgium (or Belgium Style) Ale should work beautifully. For wine, I would recommend a full bodied white such as an Oaky Chardonnay or a fruity red such as Pinot Noir or a Cote du Rhone.

1 comment:

Not Just Any Jen said...

Every time I read one of your post, I am salivating. If only....